Orchidaceae

Orchids are identified by a consistent floral architecture: three sepals, three petals (the lower one modified into a lip or labellum), and a fused column that combines stamen and stigma. In La Honda most species are epiphytic — growing on tree branches without parasitising their hosts — though some, like Epidendrum secundum, are terrestrial colonisers.

Conservation concern varies widely. The national flower Cattleya trianae is endangered across its range by decades of wild collection, while many of the smaller Pleurothallis and Masdevallia species are locally abundant but globally poorly known.